Credentials: Dr. D’Apolito has been in Neonatal Nursing since 1973. She became interested in working with neonates exposed to drugs during pregnancy while completing her doctoral education at the University of Washington. As a part of her dissertation research Dr. D’Apolito developed the first edition of the Inter-Observer Reliability Program for the Finnegan scoring tool. Dr. D’Apolito has spoken at national and international conferences regarding the care and management of neonates experiencing drug withdrawal. Since 2001 she has presented many workshops to staff nurses, nurse practitioners and physicians regarding the care, management and establishment of inter-observer reliability using the Finnegan Scoring Tool. Dr. D’Apolito has conducted research with this population and has published many articles in the area of neonatal abstinence. In 2008, she received the National Perinatal Association’s Individual Contribution to Maternal Child Health Award for her work with neonates exposed to drugs in utero.